Today, nuclear power is mainly used to make electricity. This is usually cheaper than the electricity made from burning fuels such as coal, oil or gas. Some people say that nuclear energy is cleaner because it does not produce smoke.
These stored uranium fuel rods can be used to make electricity.
A nuclear reactor is a large tank or building inside the power station. Here, pieces of powdered uranium are put into special fuel rods. These are gathered into bundles and placed in the centre of the reactor. The fuel rods make the atoms split to release energy that is then used to heat water.
Fresh fuel is added to a nuclear reactor about every 18 months.
When the uranium inside the fuel rods loses its energy, the fuel rods are sent to special reprocessing stations. Here, any unused uranium is taken out so that it can be made into nuclear fuel again.
The heat energy that comes from splitting uranium atoms is used to make steam.
This steam spins a turbine to drive a generator, producing electricity. In oil-, gas- or coal- fired power station, fossil fuels are burnt to create heat to make steam. The same principle applies in a nuclear power station.
